Century marks

Christian Century, June 28, 2003

GETTING THE STORY RIGHT: When Gary Kowalski's brother was trying to memorize the periodic chart for high school chemistry, he had particular difficulty remembering the symbol for mercury (Hg). His mother reminded him that mercury in thermometers goes up; helium also goes up; and the most famous story about a helium balloon was Around the World in Eighty Days, written by H. G. Wells; hence, Hg for mercury. Problem is, Jules Verne was the author, not Wells. Yet Kowalski says he never forgot the symbol for mercury, despite his mother's mistake--and he doubts his brother ever did, either. Preachers, of course, are notorious for twisting stories to fit the context, and Kowalski agrees that a made-up story is better than none. But what is needed are "true stories--stories that can rejoin mythos with logos, reminding us not only of the names of the elements, but of why any of it matters" (Gary Kowalski, Science and the Search for God, Lantern Books).

BE IT RESOLVED: Students who read only Jonathan Edwards's famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" get only a partial glimpse of the 18th-century theologian. Those who only read his heavy theological works miss out on the personal dimensions of the man who was, arguably, America's greatest theologian. For instance, when he was about 20 he started writing resolutions. Some sound quaint and overly austere (he might have added a resolution on not being too hard on himself, and another on enjoying life and not taking it too seriously), but some are worth emulating, such as: never lose one moment of time; never do anything out of revenge; never speak evil of anyone; never do anything you wouldn't want to do if it were the last hour of your life; and live so that when you get to the end of your life you have no regrets. Edwards also resolved to use the end of each day, week, month and year as a time for self-examination in light of his resolutions (A Jonathan Edwards Reader, Yale University Press).

A CLEAN, WELL-LIGHTED PLACE: In The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg argues that a healthy society needs three elements: family, work and a "third place" that is an open and inclusive social setting. The essential requirements of a "third place" are that it is neutral territory where rank is forgotten; it is frequented by a core of regular attenders who foster interpersonal exchange, and conversation is a central activity. In England the pub has functioned as the third place, in France it is the bistro and sidewalk cafe, in Italy the coffee bar, and in Germany the biergarten. TV shows like Cheers, set in a Boston bar, appeal to the idea of a third place. Alan Jones and John O'Neil (Seasons of Grace, John Wiley) remind us that the church has often functioned as a third place--it's a place not only for religious functions, but for social gatherings as well.

DEATH TAXES? Recently nine reporters were invited to meet with President Bush to talk with him about his tax-cut plan. After the president spoke for awhile, each of the reporters had a chance to ask a question. Knight Kiplinger of Kiplinger's magazine asked about the president's aim to eliminate all estate taxes, what he calls the "death tax." "Is there an estate of any size, say, Bill Gates $41 billion personal fortune, that would strike you as large enough to warrant some degree of taxation, however small, at death?" Absolutely not, the president responded. It is unfair to tax people's assets twice, once while they're living and again when they die. Kiplinger, who expects to have a taxable estate to pass on to his heirs, largely concurs but is more ambivalent. "I don't enjoy paying taxes any more than the next guy, but I do believe that people blessed by the good fortune of wealth should share a lot of it with their fellow citizens." Bush agrees that the wealthy should share with the poor--voluntarily. Kiplinger believes a mixture of both approaches is necessary (Kiplinger's, July).

GETTING OUT THE GOP VOTE: One of the most salient features of American politics is the growing correlation between regular church attendance and identification with the Republican Party. Another is that the GOP wants to increase the turnout of its "base" in the 2004 election--not just evangelical Protestants, but also socially conservative Catholics, Orthodox and Jews. The White House strategy for reaching this goal, according to Howard Fineman, is to garner support without introducing new legislation--using programs administered by the executive branch of government. For instance, the Department of Interior is making historic preservation grants to houses of worship; the Federal Emergency Management Agency is paying religious organizations for efforts at storm and earthquake relief; and the Department of Housing and Urban Development is giving money for the construction of religious centers so long as the predominant use is "social service." Foreign policy is the tactic used to appeal to Catholic and Jewish voters. Eastern Europe's enhanced role as a coalition partner appeals to Catholics. And support for Israel should help win more Jewish votes, even though only 18 percent of Jews voted for the Republican ticket in 2000 (Newsweek online, May 28).